Pressure regulator



March 16, 1954 w, LESUE ET AL 2,672,154

PRESSURE REGULATOR Filed June 9, 1949 INVENTORS' MY/Ibm 5. (es/1e & ByOrear K. NewY/e ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 16, 1954 PRESSURE REGULATORWilliam B. Leslie, Clovis, N. Mex., and Orear K. Tenn., assignors to theNeville, United States of Am Oak Ridge,

erica as represented by the United States Atomic Energy, CommissionApplication June 9, 1949,.Serial No..98,144

4 Claims.

Our invention relates to pressure regulators and more particularly to aliquid medium pressure regulator for use in connection with chemicalreactions and systems.

In the prior art of pressure regulation in chemical systems, it has beencustomary to use diaphragms as the pressure regulating medium. However,diaphragms are open to numerous disadvantages which limit both theirusefulness and life. They are subject to corrosion, breakage, fatiguefailure, and attack from acids and many other chemicals. In addition, itis diiiicult to regulate the diaphragm to the proper pressure andmaintain a high degree of accuracy.

Applicants with a knowledge of all these defects in and objections tothe prior art, have for an object of their invention the provision of apressure regulator which is easy to set and which will function overlong periods of time without material variation or necessity formaintenance or adjustment.

Applicants have as another object of their invention the provision of apressure regulator which may be asily and quickly adjusted and which issubstantially free from failure.

Applicants have as a further object of their invention the provision ofa pressure regulator whichis corrosion resistant and which willwithstand the attacks of acids and other chemicals.

Applicants have as a still further object of their invention theprovision of a pressure regulator which eliminates the need for movingparts and the wear and breakage incident to their use and which isreliable in its results.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will appear from thfollowing specification and drawings and the novel features particularlypointed out in the accompanying thereof will be annexed claims.

In the drawings. F 1 is aside elevation, partly in section, of apreferred form of .our improved pressure regulator. Fig. 2 isa schematicof a system in which our improved pressure. regulator may be used.

Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly to Fig. l, thepressure regulator takes the general form of a monometer tube, and isindicated at It as having a vertical leg I l, and a leg l2 preferably ofa reduced diameter which is normally at an angle with respect to thevertical leg H, being connected thereto through the lower shank portionthereof. The leg i2 is made in two parts coupled through a flexiblecoupling H of rubber, tygon or other appropriate material whichtelescopes over the adjacent end portions thereof-to provide a bendableleg.

The angular leg I2 is open to the atmosphere at the upper free end and aliquid I such as mercury, in the two legs of the regulator normallystands at very nearly the same level. The pressure above the liquid inangular leg I2 is atmospheric since it is open to the air, while thepressure above the liquid in the vertical leg ll may be normal ymaintained at or close to that of the atmosphere, particularly where theupper end of the nipple I5 is open to the atmosphere. That is, thehydraulic head in vertical leg ll, plus the pressure above the liquid inthat leg, will balance the hydraulic head in the angular leg l2, plusatmospheric pressure.

The upper portion of the leg H connects through a tube or extension M tothe source of gas pressure which is to be regulated. Extendingdownwardly through the upper end of leg I! and held or sealed thereto isa tapered nipple member I5 having a throat portion It with its lower endpositioned substantially at the level of the liquid in the leg. Theopening at the lower end of nipple [5 lies in a plane parallel to thesurface of the liquid, and this opening is preferably closed by a porousceramic disk ll which is seated therein. The disk [1 is impervious tothe passage of mercury or other balancing liquid of the regulator but ispervious to the passage of gas therethrough to the tube M.

Obviously the level of liquid in leg H is determined by the difierencebetween the, pressure in tube [4 and atmospheric pressure, and on theposition of leg [2 which is angularly adjustable through the rubbercoupling l3 as described more in detail hereinafter, since pressure isdetermined by the equation P=HD, where .D-is the density of thefliquidusedin the regulator.

In operation, wherever the pressure in tube i4, acting on theexposedsurface of mercury or other liquid in leg ll around throat I6, issumcient to depress the level in this le down below the disk [1, gaswill be permitted to pass upwardly through the disk and to escapethrough the nipple l5. This, of course, will reduce the pressure in tubeis, rebalancing the liquid columns and maintaining pressure in the tube14 at a desired value.

The angular portion of the leg i2 is adjustable,'as pointed out'above,whereby the pressure which is maintained in the tube [4 can be adjusted,that is, toyrais tbre columns and in creasethe-pressure or lower thecolumns and decrease the pressure. The parts of the leg l2 are securedin an adjustable bracket, generally designated 20. The bracket 20bridges the space between the upper part of leg H and the upper part ofleg 12 and comprises an inner portion 22 and an outer portion 2|telescopically engaged and maintained in adjusted relation by a thumbscrew 23 which passes through the outer member 2|, and adjustably seatsin a screw threaded socket therein.

The end of the inner portion 22 is permitted to freely slide within theouter portion 2| but may be maintained in adjusted position bytightening the thumb screw 23 to cause its inner end to engage the innerportion 22 of the bracket and clamp it against the wall of the outerportion 2|. This cross member or bracket is secured in place on the armsH and I2 of the regulator by conventional expansible two part clamps 24and 25 which snugly surround and engage their respective legs ii, iii.They are maintained in tight engagement with these legs by means ofscrews which pass through them and tighten or loosen the clamp.

When the angular leg [2 is raised to a higher or more nearly verticalposition, it will be observed that the liquid level in this leg willrise and the liquid level in the vertical leg II will also rise. Thus, ahigher pressure in tube 14 will be required to depress the mercury orliquid level sufficiently in the leg I l to cause release of pressurethrough the disk ll, and the device will regulate at a slightly higherpressure, depending upon the adjustment or" the leg l2. However, if theleg l2 is adjusted to a lower position, the opposite is true. In short,the device controls the pressure in tube I4 and maintains it at a valueabove atmospheric by an amount depending upon the angular position ofthe leg I2.

While the above regulator may be employed in a variety of systems forregulating pressure, one specific application which is somewhatdifierent from the general type referred to above, is indicated in theabbreviated system of Fig. 2. In the system of this figure, wherecollateral elements have been omitted for the sake of simplicity, it isproposed to fill the ionization chamber 26 to atmospheric pressure witha gas to be examined, as for example carbon dioxide containing C14. Theionization chamber 23, after being evacuated to the desired vacuumpressure, is placed in the system, and the valve 21 serves to controlthe communication of the chamber with nipple 15 of the pressureregulator. Tube 4 of the regulator is then connected to a reactionvessel or chamber 28 which is fed by hooded or bell jar 29 having itslower open mouth submerged in a suitable liquid 30, such as mercury, incontainer 3|. The upper outlet of the jar 29 communicates with thereaction chamber 28 through tube 32 which passes through a stopper seal36 in the mouth of the chamber, while a gas line 33 is fed from tank 34through valve 35.

In the operation of filling ionization chamber 26, gas such as normalcarbon dioxide under pressure in tank 34 is released through valve 35and passes out through line 33 to a point beneath the surface of liquid30 in vessel or container 3!. It then bubbles up through the liquid intothe upper portion of the jar 29. This arrangement serves to reduce thepressure of the gas from that of tank pressure to that of slightly aboveatmospheric pressure. Then, the opening of valve 21 brings the vacuum ofchamber 26 into communication with the jar 29 and this would have the 4efiect of drawing the liquid from the bath 3. up into the jar 29 and thereaction chamber 28. However, this tendency is overcome by the insertionof the pressure regulator into the system.

In the reaction vessel or chamber 28, a reaction such as the assaying ofC14 by the wet combustion process may be taking place. Organic samplesfor radioactivity determinations may be converted to carbon dioxide by amodification of the wet oxidation method developed by Van Slyke, Folchand Plazin. See Journal Biological Chem. (1940) 136, 509. The sample(3-8 mg.) mixed with 200-400 mg. of potassium iodate can be treated with10- 5 ml. of the Van Slyke combustion solution until all of the samplehas disappeared. This may be accomplished in about five to ten minutes.The activated carbon dioxide released passes up through the line H tothe pressure regulator, and through nipple l5 and valve 2'! to theionization chamber 23/ Some gas, such as inactive carbon dioxide, fromtank 34 was allowed to pass through line 33 from storage tank orreservoir 34 and to bubble slowly through the liquid 30 during thecombustion in chamber 28. Thereafter, valve 35 is opened to a greaterextent so that gas from reservoir 34 is permitted to sweep through thesystem at a faster rate until atmospheric pressure is attained in theionization chamber 26. In this connection, it will be understood thatwith the adjustment of the regulator through the positioning of leg [2,the mercury l acting as a valve will permit the passage of gas throughthe fritted disk i? when the pressure in the combustion flask 28 risesabove the value determined by the particular setting of the leg. Undersuch conditions the activated carbon dioxide gas is allowed to enter theevacuated ionization chamber 25 while the combustion is carried out ator about atmospheric pressure. Except when the pressure in line H3 issufiiciently great to depress the liquid in column 5 l and expose thelower end of nipple E5, the vacuum of the ionization chamber 26 iseffectively isolated from communication with jar 29 and is preventedfrom adversely efiecting the operation of the pressure equalizing bath30 contained in vessel or container 3 l. When this operation iscompleted and the desired pressure has been built up in ionizationchamber 23, the valves 21 and 35 are closed and the ionization chamber26 is then disconnected from the system and is ready for use.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A pressure regulator of the character described comprising a tubularbody of angular configuration, a liquid disposed within the body forproviding a pressure medium, means providing an inlet for the body, anoutlet normally closed by said liquid, and means for changing theangular configuration of said body to alter the pressure required fordisplacing said liquid to bring said inlet and said outlet intocommunication.

2. A pressure regulator of the character described comprising a tubularbody of angular configuration, an inlet opening for the body, a nipplecarried by the body and providing an outlet opening, a liquid pressuremedium normally covering an end of said nipple for closing the outletopening, means for applying a critical pressure to said medium fordisplacing it and uncovering the end of the nipple, and means fordistorting the angular configuration of the body to alter the criticalpressure.

3. A pressure regulator of the character described comprising a two-parttubular body of angular configuration, a flexible coupling for joiningthe parts of said body together, inlet and outlet openings in said body,a liquid pressure medium for covering at least one of said openings,means for applying a critical pressure to said medium for displacing itand uncovering the openings, and means for moving the parts of the bodyangularly with respect to each other at the coupling to alter itsconfiguration and said critical pressure.

4. A pressure regulator of the character described comprising a two-parttubular body portion of angular configuration, a flexible coupling forjoining the parts of said body, a nipple carried by one part andextending into said body to provide an outlet opening, an inlet openingin the body adjacent the end of the nipple, a pressure medium in thebody and normally closing the end of the nipple, means for transmittinga critical pressure through the inlet opening to depress the medium anduncover the end of the nipple, and means bridging the parts of the bodyfor distorting it about said coupling to alter the critical pressureresponse of the medium.

WILLIAM B. LESLIE. OREAR K. NEVIILE.

6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 584,445 Winand June 15, 1897 682,085 Kaeferle Sept. 3,1901 855,801 Moore June 4, 1907 1,354,023 Cornett Sept. 28, 19201,369,314 Anderson Feb. 22, 1921 1,437,138 Bray Nov. 28, 1922 1,858,202Watkins May 10, 1932 1,990,113 Burghart Feb. 5, 1935 2,134,597 BordenOct. 25, 1938 2,267,594 Lowry Dec. 23, 1941 2,4 1,453 Mitchell Nov. 19,1946 2,419,042 Todd et a1 Apr. 15, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 554,516 Germany Feb. 11, 1927 OTHER REFERENCES 5 14, page 485, June15, 1942.

